PODGORICA, Montenegro – A tragic shooting unfolded on Wednesday in the western Montenegrin city of Cetinje, leaving at least 10 people dead, including two children, and four others injured. The incident, which reportedly began with a bar brawl, has sent shockwaves across the country as police continue their search for the suspect, who fled the scene.
Authorities have identified the shooter as 45-year-old Aco Martinovic. According to Interior Minister Danilo Saranovic, Martinovic killed the bar owner, the owner’s children, and several members of his own family.
“At this moment, our primary focus is on apprehending the suspect,” Saranovic stated during a news conference.
Special police units were deployed to Cetinje, located about 30 kilometers (18 miles) northwest of the capital, Podgorica, to track down the armed man.
Witnesses reported that the attacker fled the bar after opening fire. In a public statement, the police urged residents to remain calm and stay indoors, ruling out any involvement of criminal gangs in the incident.
Montenegrin President Jakov Milatovic expressed his sorrow over the tragedy, saying on social media, “Instead of celebrating the holiday season, we are mourning the loss of innocent lives.”
Prime Minister Milojko Spajic visited the hospital where the wounded are being treated and declared three days of national mourning. “This is a devastating tragedy that has deeply affected us all,” Spajic said, adding that all available police units are actively working on the case.
Montenegro, a small nation with a population of around 620,000, has a long-standing gun culture, with many citizens owning firearms.
This marks the second mass shooting in Cetinje within three years. In August 2022, another gunman killed 10 people, including two children, before being fatally shot by a bystander.
Local media outlet RTCG reported that Martinovic had a history of erratic behavior and had previously been detained for illegal firearm possession. According to the report, he returned home to retrieve a gun after the initial bar altercation, then returned to the bar to open fire, killing and injuring multiple victims. He later targeted the bar owner’s children and another woman at a separate location.
As the search for Martinovic continues, authorities remain focused on bringing him to justice while grappling with the magnitude of this heartbreaking event.
